Spring clip for multiple leaf springs



Jan. 8 1935.

H. D. GEYER SPRING CLIP FOR MULTIPLE LEAF SPRINGS Original Filed Jan. 3, 1933 r M m & m\ w m MN s N s 1mm l/V/r/ l/fl/A 27/2 7421 m D Mm \\\\\\iv y & @vv vvv vvvvw Mvvv vvvvvv vvw m: a @242 x H/w l q Patented Jan. 8, 1935 SPRING CLIP FOR MULTIPLE LEAF SPRINGS Harvey D. Geyer, Dayton, Ohio, assignor, by

" mesne assignments, to General Motors Corpo- I I ration, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Original application January 3,1933, Serial No. 649,929. Divided andthis application March 8,

1933, Serial No. 660,000

6Claims. (01. 267-53) This invention relates to an improved form of' spring clip for aiding in properly holding the leaves of .a multiple leaf spring together.

Angobject of this invention is to provide a metal gspring .clip with a resilient rubber pad or other non-metallic lining: interposed and compressed between the metal clip and the spring leaves in such manner asv to isolatethe metal clip from all but one of the spring leaves and so prevent.

squeaking. andpwear which occurs with'ordinary clips. A'feature of this invention is the substantially non-slipping relation maintained between the compressed rubber pad and the metal parts contactingi therewith, whereby the useful life of r scription, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, wherein a preferred embodiment of one form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an automobile leaf spring with spring clips thereon'made according to this invention.

Fig. 2 is a bottom view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section on line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Numeral '10 designates as a whole a multiple leaf spring of the type usedon present day automobiles. In the form illustrated, the seven leaf semi-elliptic spring has the long leaf thereof on top of the progressively shorter leaves and is provided with a spring eye 11 rolled in each end thereof. The leaves are clamped together at their central portions by a central through-bolt 15 and nut 16. These spring leaves are further retained in proper position by the spring clips 20 and 21 which comprise the novel part of this device.

The spring clip 20 comprises a metal band 25 which is first made U-shaped, as clearly shown by the dotted extension 26 in Fig. 3. While band 25 is in this U-form the resilient rubber pads 27 are secured to the inside surfaces of the legs of the U-form, preferably by being directly bonded to the metal by vulcanization. The rubber pads may be bonded to the metal band by being moulded in H situ. These resilient rubber pads 27 when not under compression are preferably approximately the thickness of a spring leaf so that after the clip 20 is'assembled upon the spring asshown in full lines in Fig. 3, there will be a substantial thickness of rubber between the edges of the spring leaves and themetal band 25. The legs of. the U-form with the pads 27in place are so spaced apart that this U-form unit maybe slipped upon the spring leaves and fit verysnugly thereupon prior to the bending over of the end portions 26. The metal band 25 has a central hole 24 which passes over the rivet 28, afterwhich rivet 28 is headed up to rigidly fix the metal band 25 to the bottommost leaf. The end portions 26, together with the attached rubber pads, are then bent down upon the top leaf to such an extent as to highly the rubber into a tight non-slipping contact with the spring leaves. ,Since the rubber fits very snugly upon the spring leaves prior to such bending, the. desired compression of the rubber by such bending over of the portions 26 is facilitated.

The full lines of Fig. 3 showthe rubber under considerable compression as indicated by the decreased thickness of the portions 27' and the outward bulging of the rubber at 29.

The spring clip 21, shown'in section in Fig. 4, is made in the same manner as clip 20 above described, the only diiference being that clip 21 is designed to embrace three spring leaves while clip 20 embraces five spring leaves. In Figs. 1 and 2 four spring clips are shown, but obviously more or less than four clips on a single leaf spring may be used. Preferably only as many clips are used as will properly maintain the spring leaves in alignment. v

In operation, the resilient rubber pads 27 permit the necessary relative longitudinal sliding of the separate leaves upon each other by a distortion of the resilient rubber rather than by a sliding of the leaves upon the rubber surface, this action being due to the compression under which 15 compress the resilient rubber pads 27 and to force the rubber is maintained at all times. Obviously if there is little or no sliding of the contacting metal parts upon the rubber surface there will be little or no wear upon the rubber and hence the life of the rubber is very greatly increased. Preferably pads 27 are made from an oil-resisting rubber compound so they will not suffer material deterioration from oil or grease which may be used as a spring lubricant.

If desired, the rubber pads 27 may be held in non-slipping relation with the metal bands 25 by interlocking grooves, shoulders, or lugs rather than by a vulcanized bond as described above.

While the form of embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed,constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope ofthe claims which'follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. In combination, a multiple leaf spring, a

spring clip for maintaining the spring leaves in" alignment,'said clip comprising: anintially U-shaped metal band inserted about the leaf spring and attached to only one of the spring leaves, resilient rubber lining" the inner surface of the sides of said U-shaped band and bonded thereto and serving to isolate the other spring leaves from said band, the end portions of said U-shaped band being bent over upon the outermost isolated leaf in suchmanner as' to compress said rubber into a normally non-slipping relation. with said springv leaves.

2. In combination, a multiple leaf spring havinga plurality of superposed leaves arranged to slide relative to each other when the spring is flexed, a. spring: clip bothco'mpressing said leaves together and maintaining them in alignment and comprising: a metal band securedito one of said spring. leaves and. extending around the other leaves, and-resilient rubber interposed between and isolating saidb'andandthe other leaves, said rubber being maintained under'a high initial compression.

3.? In combination, a multiple leaf spring havslide relative to each other when the spring is flexed, a spring clip both compressing said leaves togetherand maintaining them in alignment and comprising: a metal band secured to one of said spring leaves and extending around the other leaves and a resilient rubber pad interposed and compressed betweeneachside of said band and the otherleaves' in such manner as to provide that relative sliding between the leaves and metal band normally takes place by distortion of the resilient rubber rather than-by relative slipping of these parts uponsaid pad. I

. 4. In combination, a multiple leaf spring having'a plurality ofsuperposedleaves arranged to slide relative to each otherwhen the spring is flexed, a spring clip both resiliently compressing said leaves together and maintaining" them in alignment and comprising: a metal band fixed to one of said leaves and extending around the other leaves, and resilient rubber bonded by vulcanization to the inner surface of said metaljfband and held so compressed between said band and the other spring leaves that said rubber is forced into a substantially non-slipping relation with said other leaves, the normal relative movement between said leaves being taken by internal distortion-of the rubber.

5. In combination, a multiple leafspring having a plurality of superposed leaves arranged to slide relative to each other when the spring. is flexed,

a spring clip for said leaves comprising: ametal band fixed to one of'said leaves and'extending."

around the other leaves, and resilient non-metallic material bonded by being molded" insitufto' the inner surface of said metal band and'arranged to prevent contact between'said band and the other of saidileaves .wherr. said leaf-T spring: is

6. A spring clipfon'a multiple leaf springl comprising: an integralmetal bandbent around the' leaf spring so as to maintain said leavesingaligument,,saidban d being rigidly fixed Itoone outside leaf at the location of the clip, andresilientrube ber interposed and compressedbetween said band and the remaining spring leaves" and j'isolating said band from the remaining leaves, .saidf-re-Q silient rubber permitting relative slidlngsbetwee'n f the leavesby internal. distortion:

HARVEY D. GEYER. 

